Merryoaks Community Hall

10/10/2026

There's just three weeks until Halloween itself but before that, we have our Spooky Science Halloween Special at Merryoaks Community Hall to celebrate 🎃

Come along for a session packed with potions, pumpkins and hands-on spooky experiments! Perfect for primary-aged children.

Book your space now at https://bookthatin.com/link/SpookyScience

10/10/2026

For new and expectant parents, fortnightly drop in at Merryoaks Community Hall, 10.30am to 12pm.

This coincides with our pre-school playgroup. A great opportunity for you to ask questions, meet other new and expectant parents and see the fun sessions that we have for when baby arrives.

09/10/2026

What do you think about where you live? What positive things are there and what needs to be improved? Durham City and Surrounding Areas Local Network would like to know.

The Local Network needs to develop a local action plan that identifies what people's priorities are for their communities. In order to do this we are organising a series community consultation events. These are drop in events so you can come along at any time and let us know what is important to you, your, family and friends and to your community.

So far we have organised four events, with a fifth one being planned for the Sherburn and Pittington areas. Dates already set are;

Thursday 22nd October, 2:00pm to 6:00pm, Merryoaks Community Hall
Thursday 29th October, 2:00pm to 6:00pm, Belmont Community Centre
Tuesday 3rd November, 12:00pm to 6:00pm, St Nicolas Church (Side Hall), Durham Market Place
Thursday 12th November, 2:00pm to 6:00pm, Framwellgate Moor Community Centre

08/10/2026

08/10/2026

It can’t be avoided - the C word- yes, we have news of Christmas workshops!

The really popular fused glass workshops haven’t been advertised much this year, because they sell out really quickly. So this is a great opportunity for you to get a place booked.

Two workshop on Sunday 11th November, one for adults and older children, the second is for families. The beautiful glass Christmas decorations you make will be used for years to come, a lovely Christmas tradition remembering the lovely workshop where you made them. They also make great presents if you can bear to give them away.

Then on Friday 11th December there is a Christmas wreath workshop, perfect timing to be in prime condition for the festive season.

All materials are supplied for these workshops, please see the posters for more details.

For booking: https://glassbydonemark.co.uk/workshops/ola/services/famliy-christmas-decoration-workshops

08/10/2026

📜 How well do you really know Durham? If you've always wondered about its rich past, consider this your invitation to join local historian and archivist David Butler next Wednesday, 14th October, for a FREE walking tour that takes you through more than a thousand years of our city’s history! 👣

From Durham’s beginnings in 995 to the city we know and love today, this 90-minute guided walk will reveal the stories behind the places you might pass every day. Whether you’re a lifelong local, a new arrival or visiting for the day, there’s plenty to discover.

🕰️ The route takes in Millennium Square, Market Place, Saddler Street, Owengate, Palace Green, Windy Gap, Broken Walls and Silver Street, before finishing back in the Market Place.

🏰 You won’t venture inside the Cathedral or Castle, but David’s wealth of knowledge brings these remarkable landmarks to life from outside. Expect fascinating insights, plenty of stories and a fresh appreciation for Durham’s rich past.

With small groups and opportunities to ask questions, it’s a lovely way to spend a morning exploring our beautiful city. And the best bit? It won’t cost you a penny! 😊

This will be David's last city tour for us in 2026, so if you've been meaning to join one of his fascinating and educational tours, don't miss out - book now!

📅 Wednesday, 14th October
🕥 Starts at 10:30am
📍 Meet outside at the top of the Market Hall’s main entrance ramp, Market Place, Durham City
👣 Duration: approximately 90 minutes
💷 FREE

⚠️ Please note: the route includes steps and is unfortunately not wheelchair-accessible.

To reserve your place, email [email protected] or send us a message here. Advance booking isn’t essential, but we recommend it as numbers are limited.

07/10/2026

07/10/2026

We have had such a fantastic time at our new playgroup sessions and want to confirm to you the dates running up to Christmas, please see attached poster.

Families/carers love the playgroup, pre-school children love the playgroup, the play leaders love the playgroup. Come along and join in the fun.

07/10/2026

Here is a lovely new community initiative at Merryoaks Community Hall. - The Hub Online Art Gallery, featuring drawings done by local children with a monthly theme.

October’s theme is Autumn. Details of how to get involved are on the attached poster. We look forward to seeing our local artists’ work displayed.

07/10/2026

Our attention has been brought to an advert going round asking people to sign up to a food and wellness festival at Merryoaks Community Hall in November.

This is a scam designed to take your money. We are not having any festivals, food, wellness or other, in November or any other time. If we decide in the future to have an event for which fees might be payable, the advert will come from our page only and responses would only be to our email address [email protected] (Lowes Barn Community Project CIO being our legal entity)

Please do not pay anything to these criminals and pass on this message to anyone you think might have been interested.